Sunday, September 30, 2012

The last thing I needed on my junk hunting list was canning jars. Or, so I thought. I have boxes of my own, my Moms, my Aunts, and my Grandmothers. Why in the world would I even look at another box of jars? Because the jar in the above photo was sitting on top!!!!!!

Yes, I have lots of "real" jars for my own canning. . . . I have few beauties like this one--a Kerr Self Sealing Mason--thick blown glass--raised lettering. . . .I have no idea how old it is. . . .Maybe one of you could tell me. . . .I just know I loved it. . . .

As I dug down into this "Box of Jars For Sale" at a local flea market, I also found a little half pint Atlas jar and. . . .

several more oldies. . . .There were quite a few of the waffle-like design. . . .So, I totally ignored John when he asked why I wanted ANOTHER box of jars. . . .After all, if we're planning a big garden next year, we need plenty of jars, don't we?. . . . I didn't bother to tell him I'd never actually USE these jars for canning. . . . But, I did know how I WOULD use them. . . .

I'd spotted the old egg basket when we first arrived but forced myself to walk on by without checking the price. I figured it was pretty pricey. . . .Now, with my vintage jar buy (which was a steal, by the way), I went back to check on the egg basket. . . .I couldn't believe my eyes. . . . .$15?????. . . .I stood there, trying to stay composed, when the gentleman told me if I was interested, he'd let me have it for $12!!!!!!!. . . .Before I could say "Sold", he asked if I was interested in two? . . . . He could give me a good price for both. . . .$20!!!!!!!!
Well, you know what I did. . . .Those baskets were in my possession and a $20 bill was in his hand before he could change his mind. . . .or his wife returned. . . .or both. . . .I figured a woman would know the value of my find. . . .

I brought my "steals" for the day home, cleaned them up, and put them in the farmhouse kitchen--one basket filled with a few of the vintage jars. . . .

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Taping is slow-going for us. . . .I had this idea in my head to follow the cabinets and I wanted the squares on the diagonal. . . .Neither John nor I excelled in math, so we're having to adjust as we go. . . .
I rarely do anything the easy way, but John is good natured and patient. . . .
This was his only blueprint. . . .

It's taken both of us to figure it out. . . .

But, once we get the taping finished, it should go a lot faster. . . .

I thought I'd share some Checkerboard Floor Inspirations,

while we continue working on our own floor. . . .

I discovered that checker-boarding is an historic way to finish a floor.

Colonial Americans often used the technique, adding a dramatic effect to a room.

It was considered mostly for the wealthy, since paint was expensive back then--

just the opposite of today's floor treatment.

Look how the black and white makes this kitchen "Pop". . . .

I love this one. . . .It has a sophisticated farmhouse flare. . . .

John is threatening to only paint the black squares
and leave the wood squares as they are. . . .

Monday, September 24, 2012

It was such a beautiful Fall weekend. . . .No way did I want to stay inside. . . .

so we headed west to Monette, AR for the Second Annual Quilt Show

at the Buffalo Island Museum.

I attended and assisted in numerous quilt shows when I was a member of the National Quilting Association and lived within 30 miles of Little Rock, AR, where many of the national and state shows were held. When I moved to Virginia and worked at Colonial Williamsburg, I was fortunate to have viewed first hand many historic and rare quilts of our nation's founding families. . . .But, I was never more excited about a show than I was about this one. . . .

True, the patterns were the same as many elsewhere in the country. . . . and, most of the vintage quilts were made with the same type of patterned feed sacks that I've found in other states. . . .But, these quilts were made in the Delta, by women whose last names I recognized. . . .That makes them special to me. . . . .The Delta is where I was born and raised. . . . .My roots are here. . . .

At most quilt shows I've attended, the entries were hung one way or another on the wall or from poles. That's what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ladies at the Buffalo Island Museum did things a little different--they incorporated the quilts into their museum displays. For me, it added so much more to the overall experience.

We were asked to vote on our favorite in each category--vintage, handmade, machine quilted, hand quilted, baby, and artistic. It was certainly very hard decisions. I walked through each division many times before I could decide.

The ladies allowed me to take photographs--probably a hundred or more shots. . . .
I'd love to show them all to you--but had to pick just a few. . . .

Be sure to read the comment on the one below. . . .It's priceless. . . .